There's a short discussion on Youtube with Tony Gwynn and Ted Williams. What I would have given to be in that room.

His hot zone was the entire strikezone. He hardly walked because he was so good at covering the plate, and never missed strikes.

Maddux was convinced no hitter could tell the speed of a pitch with any meaningful accuracy. To demonstrate, he pointed at a road a quarter-mile away and said it was impossible to tell if a car was going 55, 65 or 75 mph unless there was another car nearby to offer a point of reference.

 

"You just can't do it," he said. Sometimes hitters can pick up differences in spin. They can identify pitches if there are different release points or if a curveball starts with an upward hump as it leaves the pitcher's hand. But if a pitcher can change speeds, every hitter is helpless, limited by human vision.

 

"Except," Maddux said, "for that [expletive] Tony Gwynn."

Gwynn K'd 4% of his career PAs.

 

Against Nolan Rylan he K'd 9 out of 67 Pas which is 13%. Still hit .302 off of him.

Frank DiPino was a .500 pitcher over his 12 MLB seasons.

 

Claim to fame? Gwynn was 1 for 23 against him.

Frank DiPino was a .500 pitcher over his 12 MLB seasons.

 

Claim to fame? Gwynn was 1 for 23 against him.

 

Without looking I bet his strike/ball ratio sucked.

The worst average month of his career was July where he struggled at a .325 clip.

I think he hits .400 in '94. The reason I think that, because he said so.

 

Would've been awesome to see him try to get there. .394 when the strike hit. I'm with you. My money was on him getting there.

Would've been awesome to see him try to get there. .394 when the strike hit. I'm with you. My money was on him getting there.

 

When a guy as humble as him says he thinks he could've done it, I believe him. Especially one that's pays such close attention to detail.

By my count he would have had to hit .415 in his last 45 games to hit .400 .

 

He batted .426 in the 29 games leading unto the strike.

By my count he would have had to hit .415 in his last 45 games to hit .400 .

 

He batted .426 in the 29 games leading unto the strike.

 

No doubt an absurd assumption but he was unconscious for most of the season. He went hitless in 16 of 110 games that year. Not including pinch hit games.

Not sure how far back they measured this but........

 

 

#2 in batting average with 2 strikes is Wade Boggs at .262.

 

Gwynn hit .302 .

"undisputed gentleman of the game"

Tony is the assists leader in SDSU basketball history.

I read a description in a news report that said talking about hitting with Tony Gwynn would be like talking religion with God. I dare say God is pickin' Tony's brain right now.